Stephanie Fletcher

During a meander through the Roberto Burle Marx Estate, an attraction in the countryside west of Rio de Janeiro, I was stopped in my tracks by a marvelous turquoise cascade. The aqua torrent was no waterfall, but a living curtain composed of showy, crescent-shape jade flowers. This was not the first time during the stroll I had been awed by a gorgeous display of tropical natural beauty.

Later the same day I visited Casa do Pontal—Museum of Brazilian Popular Art. Again I found myself frequently stopping to marvel—this time the objects of my curiosity and delight were manmade—fantastic headdresses decorated with mirrors and ribbons, carved African/Brazilian deities, brightly-painted puppets, moving mechanical figures, and thousands of small clay figures.

It takes about an hour to get from the South Zone—where most popular Rio hotels are situated—to the West Zone where Sítio Roberto Burle Marx and Casa do Pontal are located. However, the 40-mile drive along the ocean and through luxuriant tropical green areas is a treat in itself. The West Zone is known for its permanently preserved areas of Atlantic rainforest, swamps, river deltas, and unspoiled beaches. It provides excellent day trip possibilities.

The hilly landscape of Sítio Roberto Burle Marx possesses the look of a lush paradise. The vegetation comes in every shade of green, highlighted here and there with bold swaths and explosions of incandescent color. In an area of approximately 100 acres, visitors can see more than 3,500 species of plants including remarkable collections of bromeliads, heliconias, orchids, palms, and water lilies. Bright blossoms drape from branches or perch in clusters on vine-covered walls. During my walk along a stone-paved path I admired many exotic tropical trees—sculptural ironwoods, almonds, mangos, palms, and cacaos.

Roberto Burle Marx himself is internationally acclaimed as one of the greatest landscape architects of the 20th century. He died in 1994. In 1984 he donated his estate to the Brazilian nation and it is considered a national treasure.

The grounds contain a charming restored 16^th-century chapel dedicated to St. Anthony and a sprawling ranch-like home. The house museum contains an extraordinary collection of religious images, Spanish colonial artworks, pre-Columbian ceramics, pottery from the River Jequitinhonha Valley, and Marx's own paintings.

Burle Marx bought the sítio in Barra de Guaratiba in 1949 to store his growing collection of plants from all Brazilian ecosystems. Now, it is a nature preserve and a place dedicated to the study of landscape architecture, botany, and the arts.

Sítio Roberto Burle Marx is open from Tuesday through Sunday. Two 1 1/2-hour guided tours are scheduled daily at 9:30 am and at 4 pm. Only guided tours are allowed. They are limited to 50 participants or less and must be scheduled in advance. The entrance fee is about $2.

Rustic Restaurant César is located less than a mile from the gate to the Sítio. This dining establishment is a great spot for lunch. Seafood is a specialty and fresh vegetables used in food preparation are grown on the property. I enjoyed a wonderful aromatic dish featuring chunks of fish, squid, octopus, and prawns in a savory broth served with rice. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 am to 4 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm.

Casa do Pontal—Museum of Brazilian Popular Art—is housed in a rather unremarkable building that nestles into dense green shrubbery. Inside, visitors will find what has been called the best and most complete collection of Brazilian craft art in the country. More than 4,500 pieces are on display in this small museum. The artwork belongs to Frenchman Jacques Van de Beuque who arrived in Brazil in 1946. He has added pieces to this amazing collection for more than 50 years.

The first galleries are dedicated to handmade clay figures that stand about 6 to 8 inches high. These pieces are separated into categories based upon subject. In one area, professions are on display. Scores of little stop-action vignettes picture dentists pulling teeth, photographers snapping pictures, and doctors performing surgery. In an adjacent space tiny lumberjacks, fishermen, and farmers frozen in mid-chore line up along shelves in lighted display cases. Ceremonies and special events in life—weddings, births, confirmations, and funerals—are the subjects of groupings in another area.

An unmarked white door in one room of the museum is half-opened. Curious visitors who peek inside will discover a small collection of erotic and ribald figures in a space the size of a walk-in closet. The museum is a popular field trip for schools, so, when busses pull into the parking lot, the door to this particular gallery is closed and locked.

Wood carving, puppets, masks, and ceremonial head coverings are also on display. And mechanical figures add a fascinating dimension to Van de Beuque's collection. Three life-size musicians stand in one exhibition. One with a cigarette dangling on his lip strums a guitar, a second squeezes an accordion between his hands, while the third strikes a triangle with a metal wand. However, the piece de resistance is a complicated Carnaval scene complete with samba dancers, floats, and reveling onlookers. When a switch is flipped, the scene comes to life with music and a multitude of tiny gyrating hips, dancing feet, and waving arms.

Casa do Pontal is open on Saturday and Sundays from 2 pm until 6 pm. A small admission fee is charged.

For information:

City of Rio de Janerio Tourism Authority 212-375-0801 Website: www.rio.rj.gov.br/riotur

Literary award-winning novelist and experienced freelance writer/photographer, Stephanie Fletcher, travels the world in search of intriguing destinations. From her home office in Charlotte, North Carolina, she contributes manuscripts and images to major American newspapers and magazines. Her client list includes: New York Post, Miami Herald, Denver Post, Baltimore Sun, US Airways Attache, Comair Navigator, National Geographic Traveler, Culinary Trends, Art & Antiques and many others. Recently Fletcher enjoyed some Southern Hemisphere hospitality in Rio de Janeiro, the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). Contact: sfletcherz@aol.com

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